At Washington and Lee University, we take great pride in a community of trust and care for one another. However, we also recognize that W&L and the City of Lexington are not immune from emergencies. We encourage you to explore this website where you'll find information about how we communicate in the event of minor or major emergencies, a summary of the University's Emergency Management Plan and other details about how the University responds in the event of an emergency. With this said, our primary goal in emergency management is to prevent emergencies from occurring through nurturing a community of care for one another.

In the event of severe weather that could cause a delay in the opening of the University or in a closure, or in the event of a major violent incident on campus or a major public health event, the University’s Emergency Management Executive Team will communicate with members of the campus community in a variety of ways depending on the type of incident.

General Alerts System: W&L has contracted with e2Campus to create General Alerts and provide text message alerts in the event of a major emergency. This important service is available free of charge to all students, faculty and staff. Please register a text-capable cell phone number so you will get these messages.

Weather Events: The University will provide information on local radio and TV stations as well as this web site, broadcast e-mail, or voice mail for faculty and staff. Members of the campus community can also call the Campus Emergency and Weather Hotline (GOCLASS or x5277 on campus) to listen to instructions regarding closings and delays.

Violent Incidents and Public Health Events: The University will use the General Alerts text messaging system to alert students, faculty, and staff about a major emergency on campus. In addition, the University will make use of other sources such as broadcast e-mail, voice mail, web site, and a systematic deployment of University personnel who can alert people to the emergency and provide instructions.

If you have questions about emergency management at the University, please contact Sidney Evans, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, at sevans@wlu.edu. During an actual emergency, check with the University website or call Public Safety at (540) 458-8999 for updates and information.

Contact Information

540-458-8999(x8999 on campus)

Emergency: 911 (W&L Public Safety will be notified immediately, along with local emergency respondents)